Theft of KRL Signal Cables Uncovered on Green Line
The KRL Commuter Indonesia (KCI) service on the Rangkasbitung-Tanah Abang route (Green Line) recently experienced disruptions due to failures in the signalling system. It has been revealed that these disruptions were caused by the theft of signal cables in the areas of Maja Station, Lebak, and Daru Station, Tangerang, Banten.
VP Corporate Secretary of KAI Commuter, Karina Amanda, stated that the theft of ‘counting head’ cables occurred in the early hours of Friday (8/5) on the route between Daru Station and Parung Panjang Station. Amanda noted that the automatic railway signalling system on this route suffered malfunctions as a result of the theft.
“For the Rangkasbitung Commuter Line service on this route, operations are currently being managed via a manual system,” said Amanda on Friday (8/5).
The cables are vital infrastructure for railway operations. Relevant personnel are currently on-site to carry out repairs and replace the stolen cables.
Approximately six Rangkasbitung Commuter Line trips experienced delays of between 14 to 24 minutes due to the manual traffic management. Such acts of vandalism against railway equipment not only cause financial loss to the company but also pose a significant risk to the safety of train travel and the public.
“The perpetrators can face a prison sentence of up to 3 years under Article 197 of Law No. 23 of 2007. This article states that any person who destroys, damages, or performs acts that result in the malfunction of railway infrastructure shall be punished with up to 3 years in prison,” she emphasised.
KRL Signal Cable Theft Ring Arrested
Banten Regional Police have arrested the thieves responsible for the signal cable thefts near Maja Station, Lebak, and Daru, Tangerang. The Head of Sub-directorate 1 of Criminal Crimes at Banten Regional Police, Commissioner Endang Sugiarto, stated that the first incident occurred on the railway line at Km 62+400, Kampung Maja Pasar, Maja, Lebak, between 26-27 December 2024.
The second incident occurred on the railway line at Km 49+3/4, Km 50+5/6, and Km 50+8/9 in Kampung Daru, Jambe, Tangerang, on 8 May 2026.
“The incident in Daru was first identified by the Head of the Signal and Telecommunications Technical Implementation Unit (UPT Sintelis) Tigaraksa, who received a report from the Train Dispatcher (PPKA) regarding technical disturbances on the railway line at 23:44 WIB,” said Endang on Wednesday (3/6).
PT KAI officials subsequently inspected the signalling system and discovered that six counting head cables were missing, suspected to have been stolen. By the time officials arrived at the location, the perpetrators had already fled.
“The loss of the counting head cables disrupted the operational and signalling systems on the affected tracks, requiring further technical intervention from PT KAI personnel,” Endang added.
Method of Theft
Endang explained that the signalling cables were located inside culverts. The suspects damaged the culverts to access the cables inside.
“The suspects used hacksaws to cut the signalling cables, then pulled them out of the conduits and used utility knives to strip the outer insulation to extract the copper inside,” he said.
Banten Regional Police arrested the suspects on 22 and 23 May 2026 in the Daru area. Three suspects, identified by the initials GR (23), AR (28), and AN (28), acted as the field executors, while MH (32) acted as the receiver of the stolen goods.
Two-Year Operation
The theft ring operating in Maja and Daru has been active for two years, since 2024. They also collaborated with a former worker from the project responsible for installing the signal cables.
“They have been operating for two years since 2024. In addition to those two locations, they also operated in the Bogor region, including Tenjo,” said Endang.
One of the perpetrators, who has been transferred to the Bogor Police, was a former worker for a third-party company involved in the cable installation, rather than a KAI employee.
Two suspects, SY and AG, have been transferred to the Bogor Police, West Java Regional Police. Meanwhile, suspects IS and MU remain at large and are currently being pursued by authorities.